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Medical Decisions for People with ALS
Part of Your ALS Guide
Open source (opens in a new tab)Link checked August 2026
About this source
Your ALS Guide’s practical guide.
Where this source is used
Used in 19 places across 3 domains.
Questions
Planning
Advance Care Planning
- How do I make my wishes known and make sure they are followed?
Used across the whole answer
- How do I start, and who can help?
Used across the whole answer
- What is advance care planning?
Used across the whole answer
- What might advance care planning cover?
Used across the whole answer
- What should I ask about advance care planning?
Used across the whole answer
- Why is advance care planning worth doing?
Used across the whole answer
- Why is advance care planning worth doing?
Supports this
“Knowing what you would have wanted eases the burden on the family who may have to decide for you.”
Your ALS Guide gives the same reason for writing decisions down in advance: it says the documents give the person peace of mind and give the people close to them clarity about what was wanted.
They can provide peace of mind for you and clarity for loved ones.
Why should you fill out advance directives?
Resources
Planning
- Advance Care Planning
Further reading
A plain walkthrough of the future care decisions many people with ALS face and how to think them through ahead of time, so choices feel less overwhelming when they come up.
- Long-Term Care
Further reading
A guide to thinking through future care and treatment choices so your wishes are known before decisions become urgent.
Advance Care Planning
- How do I make my wishes known and make sure they are followed?
Further reading
Recording and sharing your care wishes
- How do I start, and who can help?
Further reading
Getting started with advance care planning
- What is advance care planning?
Further reading
Thinking ahead about medical decisions in ALS/MND
- What might advance care planning cover?
Further reading
The kinds of decisions advance care planning can include
- What should I ask about advance care planning?
Further reading
Questions to ask about advance care planning
- Why is advance care planning worth doing?
Further reading
Why planning ahead for care decisions can help
Breathing
- Invasive Ventilation
Further reading
A guide to thinking through major medical choices in ALS in line with your own values, which can help you approach the ventilation decision calmly.
Non-Invasive Ventilation
- Can I stop using NIV if I change my mind?
Further reading
Your ALS Guide's medical decisions section, covering advance directives and choices about ventilation
Medical Care
- End-of-Life Care
Further reading
A plain-language guide to the medical decisions people with ALS/MND face, useful when thinking about comfort and escalation preferences.
- Palliative Care
Further reading
A practical guide to thinking through care decisions in ALS/MND, which can help you decide whether and when to ask for palliative care input.
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